The present invention relates to a golf club grip for all-weather use.
Applicant has previously developed resilient grips which successfully reduce shock to the muscle and arm joints of the users of golf clubs, tennis racquets, racquet ball racquets, baseball bats and other impact imparting devices. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,813 granted to applicant Aug. 25, 1998. Such earlier grips utilize a polyurethane layer bonded to a felt layer to define a strip which is spirally wrapped around the handle of a golf club, racquet or the like to conform to the external configuration or such handle. In certain of such grips the sides of the felt layer taper from the side edges of the strip and the polyurethane layer is formed with recessed reinforcement side edges which overlap to form a water retarding joint between the side edges of the strip as the strip is wrapped around the handle or over a resilient sleeve telescopically carried by the golf club handle. A problem common to polyurethane-felt golf club is slippage of the grip when moisture accumulates thereon as from rainy or humid conditions or from perspiration. Such slippage can result in diminished control of the golf club resulting in misdirected shots thereby reducing the enjoyment of the game to the golfer.
To reduce such slippage between a golf club grip and a golfer""s hands there have been provided cord-type grips providing a roughened surface to the golfer""s hands. Such cord-type grips however, feels stiff and uncomfortable to a golfer, particularly in dry weather conditions, although such grips afford reasonable slip-resistance between a golf club grip and a golfer""s hands during wet playing conditions.
A preferred golf club grip embodying the present invention utilizes a composite two-piece grip, one segment being of polyurethane-felt construction, wherein the polyurethane layer is embossed with a friction enhancing pattern engaged by a golfer""s hands, and the other segment being of a polyurethane-fiber mesh construction. Each segment may be of a different width. The two segments may be of different colors so as to provide a golf club grip of a unique decorative appearance. The two segments are adhered together to define an elongated resilient strip. When the strip is installed on a golf club, the polyurethane-felt segment absorbs shocks and also inhibits slippage of a user""s hand, while the polyurethane-fiber mesh segment provides additional friction to slippage of a golfer""s hands on the grip, particularly under wet or humid conditions such as exist during rain. The polyurethane-fiber mesh segment affords a slip resistance similar to that of a conventional cord-type grip. In this manner, the golf club grip of the present invention provides maximum control of a golf club by a golfer under either wet or dry conditions. Such control is especially critical when a golfer takes a full swing of the golf club.
The composite strip of the present invention may be spirally wrapped about a tapered resilient underlisting sleeve, with such sleeve being slipped onto the handle of a golf club shaft. Alternatively, the strip may be directly spirally wrapped about the handle of a golf club, tennis racquet or the like. When the two-piece strip is spirally wrapped about an underlisting sleeve, the sleeve may be positioned on a collapsible mandrel to provide a slip-on golf club grip that can be applied to a new golf club or can be utilized as a replacement golf club grip.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.